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Leopard Gecko acting weird...?

Okay, this happened a few days ago, just to clarify - My gecko hadn't been fed for a couple of days as the crickets died (changed to mealworms now) and my dad was ill so I couldn't get to the pet store. (My mum has a disease which basically makes her so she can't drive. and I'm only 15 xD)

I turned around and I saw her open her mouth quite wide and then close it, a lot of times, not like yawning, it looked as if she was gulping air. Then afterwards she shook pretty violently (like a dog does when it's just been in a pool and it's getting water off of it). Then she just carried on licking her lips (mouth...beak...yeah) as if nothing had happened.
Just to clarify, she's about a year old now, probably about...5/6 inches long (this is just my guessing) and she sheds fine, but she does have a bit of shed skin stuck on her nose that I can't get off. (We got her at 9 months, never handled properly before and I can't seem to handle her now, as much as I try to get her used to me by putting my hand in and holding her regularly, she just jumps off my hands and I'm worried she'll hurt herself one day.) Otherwise, she's normal. She eats fine, goes for her food (and my fingers if I don't get the food to her fast enough!) and she's never regurgitated (as far as I know) or been 'sick'. Her poos look normal to me and she goes in one corner all the time as geckos do.<br><br>Post edited by: supersnuffy, at: 2009/10/26 00:58

Leopard Gecko acting weird...?

So far I am a bit confused with what the question is about here as well...So for me I will break my take of this post and see if I can unravel it a bit. I think you are asking if the mouth opening part is normal...it could be if you had a very hungry Gecko, and she ate a ton of food all at once. They do open their mouths after each meal...if you let her get a bit hungry she might have had to do this extra times. I have never seen my Geckos yawn, but I have seen them work the food down by opening their mouths.

I have only seen a Gecko shake it's body when it is regurgitating, so I have no clue what you mean by any of that. You need to explain that much better with more detail for me to be able to help with that issue.

If she is almost a year old and you got her when she was 9 months this tells me you are very new to her, and vice-versa. So you might not be used to everything going on yet. I am a bit confused on the rest of what is going on exactly. Other then the skin on the nose...you want to moisten it often and make sure she has a moist hide to climb in...if you need help understanding what a moist hide is please search up Leopard Gecko care in google and you should be able to learn more about it. I think there are care sheets on this web site as well. This might help you with any shedding issues.

Please don't let your Gecko go with out food...it's not in the best interest of you or your Gecko...please find out all you need to care for your Gecko...it is life or death for your Gecko if things are not right.<br><br>Post edited by: Tonkatruck, at: 2009/10/25 03:36

Leopard Gecko acting weird...?

When I had my Leopord gecko he often yawned, and did open his mouth at times to swallow his food. you could see it all stuffed in the back of his throat. As for the shaking, my gecko used to twitch his tail very quickly, (the same way a rattle snake does) before he launched an attack on his meal. this may just be a part of your geckos personality.

Leopard Gecko acting weird...?

I also forgot to tell you Supersnuffy...you also have to care for your crickets, just like the Gecko..they need food and water as well...but if you give them house water be sure to put it on a paper towel, so the crickets don't drown. Also wax worms are best for adults, and they need more then just wax worms.

Leopard Gecko acting weird...?

I know everything that you've told me about care and stuff - She's on mealworms now, which are easier to feed and stuff than crickets (a well-known breeder keeps his geckos on mealworms so i'm pretty happy that she'll be okay with these)

She only went without food because I had no possible way of getting it - the crickets had died despite me putting food and a wet sponge in there and my dad was ill so I couldn't get to the pet store. Some things you just can't plan for, and this was one of them.

I was asking if the opening of the mouth and the shaking off was normal. She's fine now that she's got a lot of food in her belly, I gutloaded the mealworms and fed her them and a couple of waxworms (she was mistreated and skinny so she still has a bit of bulking up to do) but I was just a bit worried about the whole opening her mouth really wide and then shaking off. She hadn't had any food at that point so I don't quite know what was going on. If I had to describe it in 'human' terms I would have said she was retching o_O but all of her food is safely in her now...

Oh, and she has a moist hide. I can't get close enough to her to soften the skin with a tissue bud. I don't want to stress her out seeing as I can't pick her up.<br><br>Post edited by: supersnuffy, at: 2009/10/26 01:00

Leopard Gecko acting weird...?

Then it is possible you seen a normal reaction to being hungry, if she does not do this again, with plenty of food and less hungry, then I would not worry. If she keeps shaking her body, (which was still not explained very well) then it could be something else causing this.

If she is acting better, then it most likely is that she was hungry. Opening of the mouth during meals is normal...and hungry might could be why she did this more in that feeding.

If she is calmer now and full...you should be fine.

You said you had no choice to go with out food, that I understand...but now you know to plan ahead a bit.

Just watch the skin on her nose...if she won't let you touch her, less stress is best. I am glad you have her a moist hide. That should help...if this skin does not come off by the next shedding, and is still there after that shedding...she might need to see the vet.

Leopard Gecko acting weird...?

You do want air getting to your crickets, I don't know about a gas...that is new to me...but I do know of a disease that some batches carry that can kill them...but it usually does not kill them all. If you prefer meal worms I see nothing wrong with that choice.